If Only
by MusicMadtm
Summary: If only he hadn't seen what happened... One-shot for AdderClan: Innocent Eyes


**So this is my third AdderClan challenge one-shot. Read, review and enjoy!**

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Snakepaw stretched his stiff muscles and rolled out of his nest, filled with excitement. It would be his warrior assessment today! As long as he showcased his skill as well as possible, he would be WindClan's newest warrior by sundown! Excitement buzzed through his veins as Snakepaw wriggled through the narrow den entrance, as his shoulders had grown too wide to slip through easily.

"Snakepaw!" A blue tom came trotting across the clearing to the black and white apprentice. Snakepaw's ears pricked.

"Oceanstrike!" He exclaimed. "When are we gonna start on my warrior assessment?" Oceanstrike purred. "Steady on there, soldier! You and me need to have a decent meal first. There's no point in rushing off on an empty stomach, is there?" Snakepaw nodded reluctantly, but his excitement was still not spoilt. Quickly, he gulped down a lapwing and bounced around the cleaing and fresh-kill pile again, interrupting every single cat of their duties as he passed them; but they didn't mind. WindClan enjoyed seeing the enthusiasm and eagerness of their young cats.

After what seemed like seasons to Snakepaw, he finally approached Oceanstrike again, who was calmly grooming himself by the fresh-kill pile. "Come _on_! When are we going to start?" He asked impatiently, but not bad spiritedly. Oceanstrike rolled onto his back lazily, legs waving in the air.

"Ask Ravenstar; she wanted to look in on your assessment. I'm waiting for her to come out of her den. You can go and see what's holding her, if you want, but may StarClan light the path of any cat who tries to disturb Ravenstar in the morning." He finished with a chuckle. Snakepaw bounced off again with double the energy in his limbs. The _Clan leader _wanted to see his warrior assessment! Without even pausing, the young apprentice rushed into the leader's den, calling, "Ravenstar! Ravenstar!" A fluffy black she-cat emerged from the shadows of the den, amber eyes narrowed. Her sweet appearance masked a fierce and brave warrior. "Oceanstrike said you wanted to watch my warrior assessment! Are you ready yet?" When Snakepaw saw the dangerous look on Ravenstar's face, he shrank back a little. Then her face relaxed a little and she gave a small snort.

"Yes, I did say so. However, I didn't expect to be woken up by an ill-mannered apprentice." Snakepaw shrank back even more. Ravenstar shook her head. "I'm coming, I'm coming." She muttered.

Snakepaw bounced and ran all the way to the weather beaten moors, barely able to contain his excitement. Oceanstrike and Ravenstar stood behind Snakepaw as they watched him perform all the skills needed. Occasionally, the Clan leader would call out a tip or request, and the eager young cat would abide promptly.

When much of the assessment had been completed, Ravenstar stepped forward.

"I would like to see you do one more thing." She announced. "I would like you to take me on in a fight." Snakepaw gulped. _Fight the Clan leader? I'd better get ready! _The black and white apprentice nodded, and went into a defensive battle crouch. "You attack first." Ravenstar ordered. _Never let your eyes betray what you're going to do. _Keeping his gaze firmly on Ravenstar's paws, Snakepaw lunged. Just as he expected, Ravenstar jumped into the air with swinging paws, but Snakepaw was ready and slid straight underneath his Clan leader on the slippy grass and leaped onto her back as soon as her paws hit the ground. Immediately, Ravenstar rolled onto her back, crushing Snakepaw beneath her thick, plumy fur. Snakepaw flailed for a few moments, but then realised that with Ravenstar's greater weight, he would never be able to heave her off. Hooking his claws into Ravenstar's sides, careful not to draw blood, he rolled her from side to side, gaining momentum, then simply rolled Ravenstar over and pinned her down with soft paws raking on her chest. Ravenstar struggled, jaws snapping at his face, then heaved upwards with a great surge of power and threw Snakepaw off, where he lay winded on the grass a few tail-lengths away, winded.

Ravenstar straightened up and offered her shoulder to the apprentice, who heaved himself upwards and stood upright, panting.

Ravenstar nodded with approval. "You're fighting skills are very well polished. You've got a very clever and strategic mind, Snakepaw, well done." Snakepaw felt like he was visibly glowing from such praise. "We'll have your warrior ceremony at sundown."

* * *

"Ravenstar?" Snakepaw called. The black she-cat had disappeared straight after Snakepaw's assessment; it was nearly sundown and she was nowhere to be seen. He trotted anxiously back to Oceanstrike. "I can't find her anywhere." He mewed worriedly. Oceanstrike waved his tail back and forth, looking agitated. Finally, he spoke.

"Go out to Outlook Rock and see if you can spot her anywhere."

Snakepaw raced off, the wind parting through his fur and his tail streaming out behind him.

"Ready?" Snakepaw stopped dead. A eerily familiar voice was straight up ahead from him. _Ravenstar! _But this voice was not the voice that he knew from Ravenstar. It was dark and sinister, laced with malice and hatred. Flattening himself in the long grass, Snakepaw crept around in a wide circle until he was downwind of Ravenstar. Suddenly a strong gust of wind carried two new scents to him. _Creekfern? _What was the Clan deputy doing out here alone with Ravenstar and… Snakepaw scented the air again. A strong scent of young loner flooded his jaws. _A loner? _The apprentice crept forwards slowly, pressing himself into the heather. "I'm ready, Ravenstar." An equally evil voice came from Creekfern's jaws. Through the grass, Snakepaw watched as his leader and deputy, the most respected cats in the Clan, pounced on a small red loner and sank their claws into his short, downy fur. "Let's make him _suffer_, shall we? Let's draw it out a little." Ravenstar hissed silkily with a hint of a snarl in her voice. In horror, Snakepaw watched as Ravenstar and Creekfern slowly ripped into the little red cat, whose shrieks echoed through his ears. Teeth into a leg here, a long slash down a flank there, and a savage gouge in the loner's belly; Snakepaw stared in terror at the scene unfolding before him. The expressions in Ravenstar and Creekfern's faces struck fear through him. A dark, savage satisfaction with gleaming fangs, dripping with thick, reeking blood. Snakepaw backed away, slowly at first, then turned around and wildly scrambled away in terrified madness.

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When the small black and white body was found floating along in the gorge river the next day, no-one but Ravenstar and Creekfern knew Snakepaw's fate.


End file.
